Hernia-truss.



J. A. STEINERT. HERMA muss.-

APPLICATION FILED JUNES $917.

Patented sept. 4,1917

` um am Mmmm UNITED sTATns PATENT oFF-ier..

JOHN A. STEINERT, 0F NEW-YORK, N.. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO,y JACOB G. PETERMANN, 0F NEW' YORK, N. Y.

HERNIA-TRUSS.

Specicatonof Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

Application led J une 9, 1917. Serial N o. 173,801.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. STEINERT,

a citizen of the United States, and resident` 'provide an appliance of the character indicated especially for use in connection with or for the purpose of relieving an affliction known as inguinal, oblique inguinal, or scrotal hernia.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hernia belt carrying in standard or fixed position a rigid bracket or hanger, the axis of which is substantially vertical or parallel to the median line of the abdeinen and adapted to carry on its lower or free end a novel and peculiar form of pad adjustable around an axis approximately horizontal or perpendicular to the axis of the hanger and adjustable around its axis so as to adapt its position to the individual so as to relieve. in the most comfortable and e-ective manner the protruding viscera.

Another object ofthe invention is. to provide a hernia belt having a connected hanger adapted for coperation with either a right or left pad with means to accommodate a leg strap so as to hold the apparatus in the desired position w-i-th'respectto either a right or leftY hernia.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view the linvention consists in the arrangement and combination off partshereinafter described and claimed, and while the in` vention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose ofV illustrating.` a practical embodiment thereof reference ishad' to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the saine parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a front perspective view indicating the relative position of the parts as they may be adjusted and Worn for a right hernia, the pad while shown as substantially vertical is adapted however for adjustment in any desired inclination around its supporting axisif desired.

ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the broken lineQ-Q of Fig.

1;'and

Fig. 3 is an outer detached.

yReferring now more particularly to the drawings I show a belt 10 made ofl any suitable tough, strong, flexible material such as leather, canvas or the like adapted to fasten around the abdomen or waist line at any desired elevation and adjust-able as to length through any suitable fastening devices such as common or well known separable snap fasteners 11, the fastening being done preferably at the back of the belt. At either face view of a left pad or both sides of the back fastening devices are provided a pair of studs 12, one for' a right adjustment and the other fora left adjustment. f

13 indicates a rigid bracket or hanger comprising an adjustment plate 14 having connected thereto or otherwise. formed thereon a forwardly and downwardly projecting arinl terminating at its lower free end in inwardly directed extension 16, the axis of which is substantially perpendicular to the major axis of the varin-15`but with slightly upward andl rearward inclination withl respect to the horizontal line. This pivot extension 16 is screw threaded as iny dicated in Fig. 2. The plate 14 is adapted to be secured rigidly and permanently tol the front portion of the belt as by means of an inner plate 17 lying between? the plies 1011 of the. belt and through which and the ends. ofthe plate 14 rivets 18' or equivalent strong fasteners. are passed. See Fig. "2. The forni of the hanger or bracket and its manner of support adapts it especially fory comfortable and ineonspicuous use.

The'pad-v indicated as a whole at 19 is pe-y culiarly designed for thev reductionv and sup port'of' the hernia. This pad as shown bestin Fig. 2 comp-risesa main outer' plate 20 of suitable relatively hard and rigid ma terial suchy as hard rubber or the' like'and to the rear face of the same is secured a relatively soft and pliable cushion 2;1 which may be of Ysoft rubber or its equivalent. The plate 20 is provided at about its center with an opening 22 forming a'cavi'ty in the pad for the accoiniriodation of the vthreaded extension 16 of the hanger and the nut 24E located therein for cooperation with the extreme end of the extension. An approximately fiat plate or escutcheon 25 is adapted to be secured on the outer face of the plate 2() directly over the opening This escutcheon conforms directly to the shape of the outer face of the plate 20 but is preferably somewhat rounded on the outer surface so as to be relatively thin at its edges where it is secured to the plate by means of removable fasteners such as screws 26. The plate 25 furthermore is provided along its lower portion with a slot 27 arranged at one side of the longitudinal median line of the pad, according to whether the pad is to be worn for a right or a left hernia. lf for a right hernia as shownl in Fig. 1 the slot is on lthe left side of the escutcheon and pad secured thereto. The slot is formed close enough to the hole 28 through which the extension 16 passes so that the slot communicates with the lower portion of the opening 22. From Figs. 2 and 3 will be observed furthermore the peculiar shape of the pad, it being thicker at its lower end than at its upper end, being formed with a rearwardly projecting ball 29 adapted to take directly beneath the opening in the abdominal wall through which the viscera is inclined to project. The lower end of the pad furthermore projects laterally as indicated at 31 toward the median line of the front of the abdomen so as to better engage beneath and support the aiilicted part.

The leg strap above referred to is indicated at 32 and has one end iitted into the slot 27 and the opening 22 of the pad. The length of the strap is determined according to the individual to whom the truss is fitted, the'strap being cut substantially to the length providing that the otherwise free end thereof will project directly into the opening 22. A clamp plate 33, having a hole 34 is fitted directly against the outer face of the escutcheon, the hole 34 providing for the extension 16 passing therethrough and around which the clampy plate 33 is adapted to be swung either alone or in connection with the main pad 19. In other words when the leg strap is adjusted as to length and has its end projected into the slot and opening 22 the plate 33 is turned around the axis of the extension 16 so asto take directly over the outer face of that portion of the strap just below the escutcheon slot 27. This plate may be provided with one or more projections 35 adapted to bite into the strap to make its connection more positive.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for On the outside of the plate 33 is a binding nut 36 which when tightened serves to hold the clamp plate 33 firmly to the pad and also to hold the pad from rotation around the extension 16. The rear end of the strap 32 is provided with one or more, preferably a plurality, of socket pieces 37, adapted for easy detachable connection with one or more of the studs 12 according to the right or left adaptation of the apparatus. The strap 32 as thus provided and adapted, being against the lower and laterally projecting end 31 of the pad, is adapted to hold this portion of the pad firmly yet comfortably in the desired position. The projecting end portion of the pad as indicated in the drawings is preferably notched at 31 to receive the strap 32 and prevent lateral shifting or displace ment of the strap.

I claim:

1. In a truss of the character set forth, the combination with a belt having means for detachably connecting it around the abdomen and a downwardly projecting hanger firmly secured to the front portion of the belt, of a pad secured to the lower end of the bracket for rotary adjustment ina plane parallel to the abdomen, said pad having an opening therein, an escutcheon covering said opening and having in itself a hole through which the bracket extends into said opening, said escutcheon havin a slot formed in its lower portion at one sic e of the longitudinal median line and communicating with said pad opening, a leg strap having one end extending through said slot into the pad opening and having its opposite end detachably connected to the back portion of the belt, and clamping means carried by that portion of the hanger whichv projects into the pad to lock the end of the strap in place and the pad from rotation.

2. The herein described hernia truss pad, the sameV comprising` a substantially flat front plate of hard material and provided with a substantially central opening, a back cushion member secured to the rear face of the plate and of relatively soft material, the lower end of the cushion being thicker than the upper end and the lower end of the entire pad being extended laterally from the longitudinal median line of the same toward the central median line of thewearer, and a rigid escutcheon fixed to the outer face of said plate and covering the central opening therein, said outerfplate being provided with a central hole and a slot below and at one side of said hole.

JOHN A. STEINERT.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

